Pediatric/Adolescent HIV/AIDS

In the United States, the number of HIV and AIDS cases reported among youths age 13 to 24 years continues to rise. St. Christopher's is working hard to find these HIV-positive kids and keep them in care.

Living with HIV as a teen is difficult. There are many treatment options to consider, and healthy habits are more important than ever. Kids often think they are totally alone. At St. Christopher's, we believe HIV-positive teens can live a healthy life if they get the care they need early on.

The Dorothy Mann Center for Pediatric and Adolescent HIV at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children Mission

To reduce the incidence and prevalence of HIV among youth in the Philadelphia community.

To provide support and treatment for youth living with HIV and those "at risk" in the Philadelphia community.

For more information about our services, please call us at 215.427.5284.

The Dorothy Mann Center for Pediatric and Adolescent HIV that resides within the Section of Immunology at St. Christopher's Hospital provides comprehensive specialty and primary medical care for pediatric and adolescent patients with HIV/AIDS, as well as care for their affected family members including adults. In addition, we offer evaluation and treatment for high risk HIV exposures through non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Dorothy Mann Center Services

Medical Services

Primary and specialty HIV/AIDS care is available for HIV-exposed newborns, for HIV-positive infants, children and teens as well as their affected family members.

Evaluation and treatment is available for high-risk HIV exposures through non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services for HIV negative youth ages 13-24. PrEP is a prevention option for people who are at high risk of getting HIV. It is meant to be used consistently, as a pill taken every day, and to be used with other prevention options. Contact us today to find out if PrEP is right for you at 215.427.5284, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. to set up a consultation.

Medical Case Management/Social Work Services

Medical case management/social work services are available for individuals with HIV/AIDS that include assistance with medical care, dental, mental health and crisis intervention services, health insurance, food assistance, transportation and navigating the social service systems, all within a youth-friendly environment. Learning about an HIV diagnosis can be an overwhelming experience. During your first visit with us, you will meet one of our social workers. They will check in with you to see how you are doing, answer any questions you have and help you navigate your future appointments.

Teens and prenatal women get assistance from our social workers and case manager services to support and work on goals for their medical needs. Service providers work with patients for six months or more, helping with medical adherence, HIV education, linking care to mental health/substance abuse/secondary prevention and other ongoing social needs, access to medication, housing resources, education, food and navigating insurance, welfare and SSI.

If you are an HIV-positive mom that just had a baby, we provide services for the newborn through the first four months and, if necessary, will continue taking care of the child. Caregivers have the option to choose us as the child's primary physicians.

Behavioral Health & Family Therapy Services

Mental health services are designed to address the emotional and social issues of patients living with HIV to enhance their quality of life. The Dorothy Mann Center provides education and support for those caring for loved ones who are living with HIV. Dorothy Mann Center patients of all ages have the options of receiving one-on-one counseling sessions as well as participate in support groups. Issues explored in therapy may include but are not limited to: depression; anxiety; adjustment disorder; trauma; loss; substance abuse; medical adherence; interpersonal conflict; and HIV disclosure. Most sessions take place at the Dorothy Mann Center clinic; however, in-home visits may be provided to home-bound patients as deemed appropriate. All therapy services are provided by licensed trained professionals.

HIV Prevention, Testing & Counseling Services

Our HIV prevention services team provides educational workshops, presentations and testing throughout the Philadelphia community. We offer one-on-one counseling to our patients, their family and partners, as well as provide referrals to services that can benefit their well-being.

Free and confidential rapid HIV testing is available to anyone of any age who wants to know their status. No appointment is necessary and results are available in less than 10 minutes. Our walk-in hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm or call us at 215.427.5284 to schedule evening appointments.

Health Education and Risk Reduction Services

Health education and risk reduction programs provide HIV positive youth and young adults with the support they need to live fulfilling and healthy lives. Individual health education counseling addresses complex adherence and secondary prevention needs of HIV positive youth and adults.

Health education and risk reduction topics include: abstinence from sex; using condoms for vaginal/anal/oral sex; carrying condoms; limiting the number of sex partners; avoiding alcohol and other substances; avoiding risky people or places; sexual stimulation of self and partner; disclosure; talking to partners about safer sex; creating a list of supportive people; and PrEP.

The focus of health education and risk reduction is to address adherence to medications/medical care and promote positive behavioral changes to improve quality of life. Health education and risk reduction programs are client-centered and culturally responsive. Counseling sessions are individually tailored, dynamic, interactive, reality based and filled with education support. All sessions take place at the Dorothy Mann Center clinic by appointment or on a walk-in basis.

The risk reduction services program is intensive one-on-one, client-centered counseling focused on strategies to promote safer sexual or substance use behaviors along with general wellness and self-care.

All health education and risk reduction services are provided by professional HIV educators.

Research

Our research mission is to conduct high-quality research on critical, contemporary issues affecting infants, children and youth impacted by HIV infection. The Dorothy Mann Center offers research opportunities available for patients desiring to participate in clinical trials for investigational anti-retroviral agents and in longitudinal studies of children and youth with HIV.

St. Christopher's Hospital for Children is one of only 15 clinical sites across the United States and Puerto Rico to participate in a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development-funded research project, entitled "Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) – Adolescent Master Protocol (AMP)." This is a study designed to define the impact of HIV infection and anti-retroviral therapy on pre-adolescents and adolescents with perinatal HIV infection within the domains of growth and maturation, metabolic risk factors, cardiac function, bone health, neurologic, neuro-developmental, language, hearing and behavioral function.

The Dorothy Mann Center participates in a number of industry-sponsored clinical trials. These clinical trials investigate anti-retroviral medications for infants, children and adolescents because infants, children and adolescents tolerate anti-retroviral medications differently than their adult counterparts. We feel that it is important to contribute to establishing safe and effective anti-retroviral medication dosing, as well as providing formulation options (liquid, powder and pill forms) tolerable for our pediatric and adolescent population.

Our Team

Our team works together to provide patient- and family-centered care. The following health care professionals are available at the Dorothy Mann Center for Pediatric & Adolescent HIV at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children:

Physicians (HIV specialty care/primary care)

Physician assistants

Medical assistants/phlebotomy staff

Medical case managers/social workers

Care outreach team

Behavioral health/family therapist

Health education and prevention specialists

Community outreach/HIV counseling & testing team

Research team

Want To Know More?

For more information about The Dorothy Mann Center for Pediatric and Adolescent HIV at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, or to schedule an appointment, call 215.427.5284, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For urgent issues at times other than regular clinic hours, please call 215.427.5000 and ask for the physician on call for immunology.

Contact Us

St. Christopher's Hospital for Children is an academic campus of Drexel University College of Medicine. Its physicians are non-compensated members of the teaching faculty of Drexel University College of Medicine and its clinical practices are independent of Drexel University.

The information on these pages is provided for general information only and should not be used for diagnosis or treatment, or as a substitute for consultation with a physician or health care professional. If you have specific questions or concerns about your health, you should consult your health care professional.

The images being used are for illustrative purposes only; any person depicted is a model.